The ferry only runs between late June and late September. It leaves Newfoundland on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and departs North Sydney on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Reservations are strongly recommended, especially if you’re travelling with a vehicle, but you can always turn up to see if there’s room on the next boat.

With a reservation, you should be there 1 hour before departure. If you haven’t booked, you should be there 3 hours ahead of time.

Once on board, you can have a meal in the cafeteria, watch a movie or take the kids to a play area. Food can be expensive on the ship so if you’re on a budget it pays to pack a lunch. Don’t forget motion sickness pills, especially if you’re travelling in the winter when rough seas are more common.

It’s worth booking a place to relax. A semi-reclining seat costs just $9.25 and you can have a bed to call your own for as little as $16 in a dorm. You can also take your cat or dog along. Little Fluffy will be put in a free kennel provided by the ferry company.